Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified
PICTURED: Pilot of six dead in horror plane crash in California as he is remembered as a ‘big man’ who loved skiing, surfing and the great outdoors: Police identify other five victims
- Six people have been identified as having died in a horror plane crash after the pilot twice attempted a ‘missed approach’ landing due to heavy fog.
- Tribute to one of the Riese Lenders pilots pours online with social media posts showing the 25-year-old loved the outdoors
- Not much more is known about the other victims. The plane crashed near French Valley Airport in Murrieta, California at 4:15 a.m. Saturday
Victims of a horrific plane crash in which the plane caught fire killing all six people on board have been identified by authorities.
The victims included the pilots, Riese Lenders, 25, of Rancho Palos Verdes, and Manuel Vargas-Regalado, 32, of Temecula, as well as his wife, 33-year-old Abigail Tellez-Vargas.
Ibrahem Razick and Alma Razick, 51, of Temecula, and Lindsey Gleiche, 31, of Huntington Beach, were also killed.
Photos and tributes have poured in for Lenders, who was remembered as a “great man.”
RIP Riese Lenders we were just getting started young blood! You went out this morning to do what you loved and really crazy that you fired daily,” read a social media post.
Pilot Riese Lenders, 25, is one of six victims identified by authorities who died in a fiery plane crash in Southern California
![Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified 2 The flight path for the doomed Cessna C550 business jet, which killed six](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1688950521_925_Pictured-Pilot-killed-in-fiery-plane-crash-in-Southern-California.jpg)
The flight path for the doomed Cessna C550 business jet, which killed six
‘You will be remembered as my friend, my pilot and a great man! So fun and so in tune with life. You were a joy to be around.
“We will greatly miss your presence. Love us all here at the Mamelli Family. You were adopted a while ago. I’ll miss you friend.’
The 25-year-old seemed to love the outdoors and often posted his adventures on social media, including skiing, surfing and camping.
Not much more is known about the other identified victims.
The plane had taken off from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and crashed near French Valley Airport in Murrieta, Calif., around 4:15 a.m. Saturday.
![Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified 4 Photos and tributes have poured in for Lenders, who was remembered as a](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1688950523_476_Pictured-Pilot-killed-in-fiery-plane-crash-in-Southern-California.jpg)
Photos and tributes have poured in for Lenders, who was remembered as a “great man.”
![Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified 6 The 25-year-old seemed to love the outdoors and often posted his adventures, such as skiing, surfing and camping, on social media](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1688950525_693_Pictured-Pilot-killed-in-fiery-plane-crash-in-Southern-California.jpg)
The 25-year-old seemed to love the outdoors and often posted his adventures, such as skiing, surfing and camping, on social media
![Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified 8 Lenders appears underwater spearfishing in a photo posted to his Instagram](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1688950530_180_Pictured-Pilot-killed-in-fiery-plane-crash-in-Southern-California.jpg)
Lenders appears underwater spearfishing in a photo posted to his Instagram
The Cessna C550 business jet burst into flames as it crashed and video showed the charred and smoking fuselage.
The pilot notified air traffic control that he would perform a “missed approach” typically used when a pilot cannot clearly see the runway, the National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday.
“Preliminary information indicates that the plane crashed near French Valley Airport at about 4:15 a.m. on second approach,” NTSB said.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department stated that ‘dagents have found a plane completely engulfed.’
“Six occupants of the plane were located and pronounced dead at the scene,” officials said.
![Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified 10 The flight had departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and crashed near French Valley Airport in Murrieta, Calif., around 4:15 a.m. Saturday](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Six-people-have-been-killed-after-a-plane-crashed-into.jpg)
The flight had departed from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas and crashed near French Valley Airport in Murrieta, Calif., around 4:15 a.m. Saturday
![Pictured: Pilot killed in fiery plane crash in Southern California, with six victims identified 12 Cessna C550 business jet caught fire when it crashed and video showed the charred and smoking fuselage](https://nybreaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1688950539_415_Pictured-Pilot-killed-in-fiery-plane-crash-in-Southern-California.jpg)
Cessna C550 business jet caught fire when it crashed and video showed the charred and smoking fuselage
It took firefighters about an hour to extinguish the thicket that arose after the plane crashed, officials said.
On July 4, a plane crashed at the same airport shortly after takeoff. In that incident, one person was killed and three people were injured.
Footage showed the Cessna 172 jet flying upside down after hitting a building near French Valley Airport. Federal agencies continue to investigate that wreck.
“There were four occupants on the plane, three were transported by ground ambulance (one with minor, one with moderate, and one with serious injuries) and one victim was killed at the scene,” the Riverside County Fire Department said at the time.